Unlike in the land of the rich and the famous down south, celebrity sightings are altogether rare in San Francisco (tech superstars notwithstanding). But when Hollywood royalty come to visit, you can bet they are dining at the creme de la creme of San Francisco eateries. If a celebrity eats there, you know it's hip.

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San Francisco Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer talks about which restaurants have been on his Top 100 list for decades.

Media: SFGATE

There are certain restaurants celebrities routinely haunt, like Waterbar on the Embarcadero or Kokkari on Jackson Street. But they're also known to tread slightly off-the-beaten-path, to neighborhood joints like Tony's Pizza Napoletana and the relatively new Tartine Manufactory, tucked among warehouses in the Mission District.

SFGATE compiled a list of restaurants recently visited by celebrities. See all the hot spots in the above gallery.